Alcohol addiction affects not only an individual’s life but also that of their loved ones. There is some point in life where an alcohol addict feels enough is enough and is sick and tired of hangovers, blackouts, and embarrassments that go with it and desire recovery from the addiction. It is not impossible to get over the habit if done systematically. When treating alcohol addiction, a person can suffer from withdrawal symptoms during the initial stages of recovery. The severity of both physical and psychological symptoms vary from person to person, depending on the level of addiction, body type, and condition. The body begins to depend on alcohol, which is a depressant. The brain stops producing certain chemicals present in alcohol and depends on alcohol for them. This is primarily why withdrawal symptoms appear, and when one quits drinking, the body takes time to adjust. The withdrawal symptoms can range from mildly intense ones to extreme withdrawal symptoms. Minor symptoms of alcohol addiction recovery are: Nausea Headaches Anxiety Insomnia Disorientation Tremors Seizures Hallucinations 1. Withdrawal or detox The withdrawal symptoms can begin within a few hours after the last drink. While the symptoms generally subside within the first week, some of the mild symptoms can last for several weeks or months.

Allergies to medications are the abnormal reaction of the immune system to them and can manifest in many ways, from skin eruptions to near-fatal reactions. Any kind of medication, be it over-the-counter, prescription, or herbal, can cause an allergic reaction. The allergy occurs when your immune system treats the medicine as a harmful substance, like a bacterium or a virus. It develops an antibody to it, sensing it as a harmful substance. This can happen the first time you take medicine or on repeated exposure to the medication. Drug allergies are different from drug side effects or drug toxicity. A side effect is a possible reaction by the body to the drug. Drug toxicity is caused by an overdose of medication. Here are the facts on drug allergies: 1. Symptoms of drug allergy The symptoms of the allergy can occur within a few hours of taking the medication, or after a few days, or even weeks later. Some of the symptoms are: Hives Itching and skin rash Swelling Fever Wheezing and runny nose Itchy and watery eyes 2. Anaphylaxis Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening reaction to any kind of medication. This allergy type causes widespread the person to choke and the body systems to go into shock.

The cause of back pain can differentiate the type of pain you go through. This, along with your sleeping position, will determine what mattress will suit you best. Besides providing support to the back, a very important tip to keep in mind is to also look at how comfortable the mattress is for you if you are plagued by back pain issues. Here are the types of mattresses that can help you if you have back pain: 1. Memory foam It takes the contours of the body, providing support to the back if you sleep on your back and support to the shoulders if you sleep on your sides. It does not sag in the middle, providing even and full support to the body while sleeping. 2. Pillow top When an additional layer of upholstery is added to the mattress, it is called a pillow top. These mattresses are soft like memory foam and when you hit the bed, your head and shoulder sink into the pillow top and the body is comfortably aligned, preventing back pain. 3. Innerspring Metal springs provide support to the mattresses, and the number of coils and the shape of the springs determine the quality of back support.

Staging indicates the location of cancer, the extent of its growth, if it has reached different parts of the body, and which parts of the body it has spread to. Classifying breast cancer using the TNM staging system is key in helping the doctor understand which treatment option is right at that point in time and can improve the chances of recovery. Let’s review aspects of the TNM staging system for breast cancer: 1. What does TNM stand for? T (Tumor): What is the size of the tumor and where is it present? N (Node): Did the tumor extends to the lymph nodes? What is the location of the affected lymph nodes and how many have been affected? M (Metastasis): Did other parts of the body get affected by cancer? Which parts have been affected and by how much extent? 2. Tumor stage A combination of answers to all the above questions is used to indicate and differentiate between the stages of breast cancer. Staging could be clinical or pathological. Clinical staging provides information through tests performed before the surgery while pathological staging provides the information found during the surgery being performed. It gives the doctor pertinent information to determine the patient’s prognosis.

Cervical cancer refers to a tumor in the lower part of the uterus. This cancer is caused by a virus called human papillomavirus or HPV. Although cervical cancer may not be a common category of cancer, it can be painful and disturbing. Some usual symptoms of this cancer may include vaginal bleeding or anomalous vaginal discharge, painful sex, and lower stomach pain. Specialists may advocate radiation therapy as a cervical cancer treatment in many cases. It may be helpful to know that this cancer may be cured quite easily when diagnosed at an early stage. 1. What is radiation therapy? Doctors evaluate patients on diverse parameters to strategize treatment for cervical cancer. Among the various types of treatments, radiation therapy can be a popular choice. Radiation therapy induces high energy X-rays to those parts affected by cancer. These rays can kill the cancerous cells efficiently. Radiation therapy aims to destroy cancer cells with minimal damage to healthy cells in the body. 2. Types of radiation therapy The rays involved in radiation therapy are high impact radioactive particles. They attack the tumor from an external position. There are two types of radiation in radiation therapy: External Beam Radiation Brachytherapy External beam radiation therapy (EBRT) is a painless form of radiation therapy.

It has been estimated that, in the country alone, there might approximately be 1,762,450 new cancer cases diagnosed in 2019 itself. The incidence of cancer has increased over the decades and so have the myths surrounding cancer treatments. In the case of cancer treatments, misconceptions prevent the patient from receiving appropriate medical care that could help them fight the disease. In the following, we probe into a few myths about common cancer treatments to provide better clarity on the subject. 1. Myth: Treatment is compulsory and common for people having cancer Truth: While undergoing treatment for cancer is entirely the patient’s personal choice, doctors, family, and friends can discuss the positive and negative aspects of the treatment. Patients who have been diagnosed with cancer can decide if they want treatment based on how aggressively the cancer is developing. When the tumor is small and relatively slow in its growth, a wait-and-watch approach to whether and when treatment can start can be considered as an option. 2. Myth: Performing a biopsy or surgery helps cancer metastasize Truth: Amongst millions of biopsies and surgeries that have been done, very rarely are there a couple of cases that have resulted in cancer spreading to other organs in the body.

The diagnosis of diabetes is often a result of sudden manifestation of symptoms associated with type 1 diabetes. For other forms of diabetes, the symptoms take time and only start showing at a gradual pace and are evident. However, Type 1 diabetes is more sudden and unpredictable. Here are a few guidelines that the American Diabetes Association has lined out for screening so that you are not taken by surprise in case of Type 1 diabetes. These guidelines include: Those whose body mass index is above 25, irrespective of age. Individuals who have other additional health issues such as beyond-normal levels of cholesterol, high blood pressure, a sedentary lifestyle, heart disease or ailments, polycystic ovary syndrome, or have a family history of diabetes. Those above the age of 45 are required to periodically check for blood sugar levels. Even if the results are normal at the initial screening stages, periodic checking will keep you informed of sudden spikes, and help you get timely diabetes diagnosis and treatment. Any woman who was diagnosed with gestational diabetes needs to keep screening for diabetes periodically every three years. If you have been diagnosed with pre-diabetes, it is good to keep a check on it every year to avoid sudden spikes in blood sugar levels.

It is quite easy to identify the major differences between atopic and contact dermatitis. But in the cases that are not so obvious, identification becomes difficult. In some cases, there is a possibility that the individual may be affected by both types of this condition, making it all the more harder to diagnose. Between the similarities and differences lie the diagnosis of these conditions, especially when the causes for eczema and atopic dermatitis have to be identified. 1. What are the similarities? Eczema is not regarded as a diagnosis but rather a form of a rash that results from the occurrence of atopic and contact dermatitis. Eczema is more of an umbrella term under which these two forms of dermatitis can occur in isolation or in combination. In general, the stages of eczema is threefold and different. Acute eczema is the occurrence of vesicles, i.e., itchy blisters on a red and inflamed skin. Subacute eczema is when the skin is itchy, dry, flaky, oozing, or crusting. Chronic eczema is defined by the appearance of lichenification, wherein the skin becomes leathery and thickened due to the action of repetitive or chronic scratching. The best way to diagnose the similarities between both atopic and contact dermatitis is to perform a biopsy.

Not all eye infections or diseases are a cause for concern, but some eye disorders can result in blindness if not attended to in a timely and proper manner. A cataract is one of the leading causes of blindness, followed by refractive errors. The condition is characterized by a cloud-like formation on the lens of the eye. It can affect anyone at any age and gradually worsens if not treated in time. When a person is in their middle age, cataracts are small and do not affect vision. Although for people over 50, the condition starts causing serious issues and disrupts their vision. 1, Types of cataract The different types of cataract types are: Subcapsular cataract This form of cataract occurs at the back of the lens. Diabetics have a higher risk of developing this cataract. Nuclear cataract It forms in the nucleus of the lens and is associated with aging. When a nuclear cataract first develops, you tend to have an improved vision, which is short-lived, after which the vision becomes blurry. Cortical cataract This occurs in the lens cortex and is a white, wedge-like opacity that starts in the periphery of the lens and works its way into the center like a spoke.

Not many people are aware of this, but the gums lining your teeth are as important as the teeth themselves. Even if you take really good care of your teeth and maintain them, you still need to pay separate attention to your gums because without proper care, it can be affected by an infection or disease in the long run. Sometimes people do not even know that their gums are affected as the symptoms are painless in nature. However, here are a few gum care tips that will go a long way in protecting them and keep them healthy: 1. Don’t forget to floss This is really an important part of your brushing routine as it helps to remove any form of plaque or food left in your mouth due to the brush being unable to reach it. There is no time constraint on when you should floss, but just that you should, in order to maintain hygienic and healthy teeth and gums. 2. Get periodic dental cleanings done When you go for your dental check-up, your dentist does not just inspect your teeth but also the health of your gums. When you keep up with regular and periodic appointments, your dentist will be able to detect any symptoms of gum disease before it gets severe or out of hand.